Should Category Pages be Indexed? - [End this Dilemma]

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Should Category Pages be Indexed?:

Yes, category pages should be indexed, because, by doing so, you're giving search engines a clear understanding of your site's hierarchy and organization.

This can also improve the chances of your site ranking well in search results for relevant keywords.

Do you know? - “Website owners can accelerate the indexing process and improve their search engine rankings by creating high-quality content and utilizing social media and link building to increase site visibility” – Search Engine Journal

However, there are some important considerations you should keep in mind when it comes to indexing category pages.

First, make sure that your category pages are well-optimized for search engines. This includes using relevant keywords in your page titles, meta descriptions, headings, and content.

Second, you also want to make sure that your category pages aren't duplicating content from other parts of your site.

If you have multiple categories that contain the same content, search engines may view this as duplicate content and penalize your site's ranking.

Third, the consideration of the user experience. While it's important to optimize your category pages for search engines, you shouldn't forget about your visitors.

Make sure that your category pages are easy to navigate and understand, and that they provide value to your visitors, and that they drive engagement.

Are you aware? - “Google uses mobile-first indexing. That means it “predominantly uses the mobile version of the content for indexing and ranking.” So any time Google indexes and ranks your content, it prioritizes the mobile version of your site” - Semrush

In conclusion, yes, category pages should be indexed, as they can be a valuable strategy for improving your overall site's SEO and driving traffic to your site.

Just make sure that you're doing it in a way that benefits both users and search engines.

Here's related information that you may find helpful – Should Keywords be Capitalized?

FAQs:

Indexed Pages Meaning:

Indexed pages refer to web pages that have been identified, processed, and stored by a search engine's database, making them available for retrieval and display in search engine results.

Image Source - via GSQi

How many Categories should a Blog have?;

The number of categories that the blog should have isn't specified anywhere. But it's generally recommended to have around 4–9 to effectively organize and classify the content without overwhelming the reader with too many options.

What is a Category Page on a Website?:

A category page on a website is a page that displays a collection of content or products that are grouped based on a shared characteristic, such as a common topic or theme.

“By optimizing a website’s infrastructure and eliminating friction points that hinder crawling and indexing, technical SEO lays the groundwork for other efforts like content creation and link building to be successful” – Search Engine Land

Should Paginated Pages be Indexed?:

Yes, paginated pages can be indexed, but it's important to manage them properly to avoid duplicate content issues and ensure a good user experience (UX).

Here's related information that might also be useful to you – Does Web Hosting affect SEO?

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